Chinese aides grab US TV producers by the backpack after yelling a human rights question at Biden during a meeting with Xi
- White House officials had to intervene when the producer was abused
- The pool reporter said the woman was “pushed towards the door” but did not fall
- Two Biden aides intervened and said producer should be left alone
- It came at the start of President Biden’s three-hour meeting with Xi
White House officials had to intervene when Chinese officials manhandled a US TV reporter for attempting to ask President Biden a human rights question during his meeting with Xi Jinping.
The producer yelled at Biden during his opening remarks as he met with Xi as president for the first time Monday in Bali, Indonesia.
“Immediately, a man from the Chinese side – wearing a white Covid mask with a Chinese flag on it – pulled the producer backwards by the backpack,” wrote Sebastian Smith, pool reporter for Agence France-Presse, on Monday evening local time.
“She lost her balance without falling and was pushed towards the door,” he added. “Two White House staffers stepped in and said the producer should be left alone.”
White House officials had to intervene when Chinese officials manhandled a US TV reporter for attempting to ask President Biden a human rights question during his meeting with Xi Jinping
The moment was not captured on camera, but was noted in the official pool report at the start of the three-hour Biden-Xi meeting, where they were read out to discuss Taiwan, North Korea and Russia.
Xi warned Biden that the “Taiwan question” was the “first red line not to be crossed” and that Beijing would not allow anyone to interfere.
Biden told his counterpart the United States stands alongside the “one China policy,” and later said in a news conference he saw no “imminent” threat of an invasion of Taiwan.
The Pentagon and top US military officials have warned that Xi is preparing for a military invasion by 2027.
But Biden insisted there was no imminent threat of conflict, saying there was “no need for a new Cold War.”
The two leaders showed warm body language before the cameras were removed from their meeting in Bali on the sidelines of a G20 summit.
“I absolutely believe there doesn’t have to be a new Cold War,” Biden said at a news conference after the meeting ended.
“I have met with Xi Jinping many times, and we have been open and clear with each other across the board.
“And I don’t think China will try to invade Taiwan anytime soon.
Biden’s own officials believe Xi has ordered his military forces to be modernized so they are ready to take the autonomous island by force if necessary by 2027.
And Xi reportedly laid down a hard line at their meeting.
“The Taiwan issue is at the heart of China’s core interests, the bedrock of the political foundation of China-US relations, and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-US relations,” Xi is said to have told Biden according to the state news agency Xinhua.
Taiwan is a flashpoint between Washington and Beijing, which has been angered by Biden’s repeated statements that the US would defend the island if attacked.
The visit of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in August further heated ties.
Biden said he outlined the US position.
“I made it clear that our politics in Taiwan has not changed at all. It’s the exact same position we had,” he said.
The moment was not captured on camera, but was noted in the official pool report at the start of the three-hour Biden-Xi meeting, where they were read out to discuss Taiwan, North Korea and Russia
After a three-and-a-half-hour meeting with Xi Jinping, President Biden said there “need not be another Cold War,” adding he doesn’t think Beijing will invade Taiwan “imminently.” They met in Bali before a G20 summit